UNIVERSITY  OF   CALIFORNIA  Agricultural  Experiment  Station 

..,,.„_     __     ,--..,.._„-.  BENJ.    IDE    WHEELER,   President 

COLLEGE   OF  AGRICULTURE 

THOMAS    FORSYTH    HUNT,  Dean  and  Director 

BERKELEY  H-  E-  VAN  norman,  vice-director  and  dean 

University   Farm    School 

CIRCULAR  No.  128 
(April,  1915) 

INSECTICIDE    FORMULAS 

By  C.  W.  WOOD  WORTH 


The  insecticides  listed  below  are  given  in  the  order  of  their  importance  in 
California. 

I.  HYDROCYANIC  ACID  GAS 

By  weight  By  volume 

Sodium  cyanid  (129)   1    oz. 

Sulfuric  acid  (66°  Beaume,  1.84  sp.  gravity)  ....     2J  oz.  1J  fluid  oz. 

Water  2    oz.  2    fluid  oz. 

Place  water  and  acid  in  earthenware  vessel  and  add  cyanid,  or  in  generating 
machine  dissolve  the  cyanid  in  water  and  then  add  to  the  acid,  in  the  proportion 
of  one  part  of  acid  to  two  of  cyanid  solution. 

For  house  fumigation,  use  above  amounts  for  130  cu.  ft.     (See  Circular  127.) 
For  scale  insects  on  citrus  trees,  add  to  distance  over  the  tent  one-fifth  the 
number  of  feet  that  this  measurement  is  exceeded  by  the  distance  around.     This 
gives  relative  size  of  the  tree;  the  corresponding  dose  follows: 

10     11     13     15     16     18     20     22     24     26     28     30     32     35     37     40     42 
i       I       |       1      11     lh     12      2      2|      3       3J      4      4£      5       6       7       8       9      10 
44     47     50     53     56     58     61     64  ft. 

12     14     16     18     20     24     28     32     36     40  oz. 

The  above  is  the  average  dose  used  in  this  state;  for  stronger  doses,  read 
one  or  two  places  to  the  right;  for  weaker,  to  the  left. 

Tent  leakage  more  than  .25  per  cent  requires  strengthening  the  dose  one 
space  for  each  .05  per  cent. 

II.  ARSENICALS 
These  are  the  cheapest  insecticides  and  should  be  used  whenever  available. 
The  following  forms  are  on  the  market: 

Approximate 

per  cent  Relative 

of  metallic  amount 

arsenic  to  use 

White  arsenic  75  1 

Paris  green   40  2 

London  purple  30  2^ 

Zinc  arsenite  25  3 

Lead  arsenate  10  7 

Neutral  or  basic  lead  arsenate  8  8 

The  above  can  be  substituted  in  the  proportion  given,  except  that  White 
arsenic  should  never  be  used  on  foliage,  and  in  the  foggy  districts  along  the 


coast   only  the  neutral  lead  arsenate  is  safe.     This  material  is  the  only  form 
perfectly  safe  on  stone  fruits. 

Lime  is  commonly  added  at  about  the  rate  of  5  pounds  to  the  100  gallons 
to  Paris  green,  London  purple,  and  zinc  arsenite  as  a  marker,  so  as  to  tell  whether 
the  spraying  is  evenly  done  and  as  a  protection  to  the  foliage,  since  burning  is 
less  liable  in  the  presence  of  lime. 


(1)   Paris  green 
Lime 
Water 


Spray  Formulas 

For  orchards 
l*-2  lbs. 
6  lbs. 
200  gals. 


For  gardens 

1  teaspoonfu  (i  oz.) 
3  teaspoonsful 

2  gals. 


(2)   Neutral  lead  arsenate 
Water 


6-12  lbs.  1  tablespoonful  (J  oz.) 

200  gals.  1  gal. 

Dust. — Paris  green,  London  purple,  and  zinc  arsenite  are  applied  as  a  powder 
at  the  rate  of  4  to  6  pounds  per  acre.  Apply  preferably  while  plants  are  moist 
with  dew.    Hydrated  or  air-slaked  lime  may  be  added  as  a  marker  if  desired. 

For  codling  moth  and  most  defoliating  insects. 


Bran 

White  arsenic 

Molasses 

Water 


Poisoned  Baits 

For  fields 
10  lbs. 

1  lb. 
i  gal. 

2  gals. 


For  gardens 

1  pint 

h  teaspoonful 

2  tablespoonsful 
I  pint 


Mix  arsenic  and  bran  dry.  Stir  molasses  and  water  together  and  then  mix 
into  bran,  making  a  moist  paste. 

For  cutworms  and  grasshoppers,  distribute  a  handful  at  base  of  each  vine  or 
tree  or  it  may  be  broadcasted.  Insects  will  only  eat  it  when  moist.  When 
distributed  by  handfuls  it  may  be  gathered  up  and  moistened  again. 


Ant  Poisons 


White  arsenic 
Sal  soda 
Sugar 
Water 


Strong  for  native  ant; 

2  OZ. 
4  oz. 
1  lb. 
1  pt, 


Weak  for  Argentine  ants 
rge  quantity         Small  quantity 


1  oz. 

2  oz. 
20  lbs. 

3  gals. 


1  scruple 

1  teaspoonful 

1  lb. 

1  pt. 


For  native  ants,  expose  a  small  quantity  of  the  strong  poison. 

For  the  Argentine  ant,  place  a  sponge  in  a  fruit  jar,  saturate  it  with  the 
weak  poison,  make  a  few  nailholes  in  the  cover  and  keep  jar  in  pantry  and 
several  others  in  the  yard  about  the  house.     Add  more  poison  from  time  to  time. 


III.  LIME  SULFUR 
This  material  is  sold  in  California   at  different   densities,  which  are  to  be 
diluted  as  follows: 

32°  Beaume,  dilute  1  to  9. 
34°  Beaume,  dilute  1  to  10. 
For   San   Jose   scale   or   other   allied   scales   on    deciduous   trees    during   the 
dormant  season. 

For  peach  moth,  apply  as  the  buds  are  expanding  in  the  spring. 
Lime  may  be  added  as  a  marker,  as  with  arsenicals,  in  which  case  strain  in 
milk  of  lime  when  spray  is  ready  for  use. 

Home-made  lime  sulfur  may  be  compounded  as  follows: 
Quicklime  33  lbs. 

Sulfur  66  lbs. 

Water  50  gals. 

Hydrated  lime  may  be  substituted  for  the  quicklime,  using  44  pounds. 
Bring  the  water  to  a  boil,  sift  in  the  sulfur,  add  the  lime  and  continue  to 
boil  for  45  minutes  or  an  hour.     It  can  be  strained  and  used  at  once  or  allowed 
to  settle  and  the  clear  liquid  used,  as  in  the  commercial  article. 

The  above  amount  should  be  diluted  to  about  200  gallons.  The  only  safe 
method  to  insure  the  proper  strength  is  to  use  a  hydrometer.  This  should  show 
about  4°  Beaume  when  ready  to  apply. 


IV.  PETROLEUM  OILS 
The  grades  sold  for  insecticide  purposes  are: 


Crude  oils — 

Gravity 

Approximate 
flash  point 

Crude  oil 

18° 

Beaume 

Crude  distillate  (heavy) 

30 

200°   F. 

Crude  distillate  (light) 

50 

60 

Asphaltum 

Refined  oils — 

Kerosene 

42 

120 

Gasoline 

60 

32 

The  density  shows  the  average  composition.  The  smaller  the  density  number 
the  slower  the  insecticide  action  and  a  low  flash  point  indicates  the  presence  of 
light  oils,  which  increase  the  penetrating  power  and  therefore  the  danger  when 
applied  to  plants.  Oils  with  high  flash  and  high  Beaume  number,  like  kerosene, 
are  considered  most  desirable,  but  on  account  of  the  cheapness  a  crude  distillate, 
though  a  little  heavier  (with  lower  Beaume  number),  is  more  extensively  used. 


Use  or  Undiluted  Oils 
Gasoline  applied  with  a  brush  for  woolly  aphis  on  apple.     Do  not  use  too 
much  for  fear  of  making  dead  spots  under  the  bark. 
For  bedbugs  or  borers  in  woodwork. 


Sprayed  with  an  atomizer  for  clothes  moths  or  fleas  in  carpets.  Odor  may 
be  disguised  by  adding  1  per  cent  of  nitrobenzene. 

Kerosene  may  be  used  the  same  as  gasoline  where  the  greasiness  is  not 
objectionable. 

For  chicken  lice  and  ticks,  bedbugs,  etc. 

For  mosquito  wrigglers  where  the  cheaper  distillate  would  be  objectionable. 

Distillate 
For   chicken  lice   and   ticks   when   discoloration   of   buildings   would   not   be 
objectionable. 

Crude  Oil  and  Distillate 

Crude  oil         18°       4  parts 

Distillate  30°        1  part 

For  mosquito  wrigglers,  spread  in  a  thin  film  over  surface  of  infested  water. 

Drainage    or    other    permanent    work    should    have    precedence    over    temporary 

treatments. 

Asphaltum 
Make  fluid  by  heating  and  paint   a   6-8   inch   strip  about   the  base   of  the 
trunk  for  the  peach  tree  borer. 


Distillate  Spray 
Distillate  10  to  20  gals. 

'Caustic  soda  5  lbs. 

Water  200  gals. 

To  be  used  only  with  a  power  sprayer  and  only  in  case  it  has  an  efficient 
agitator.  This  is  necessary  to  make  a  mechanical  mixture  of  the  oil  and  water. 
The  lye  makes  a  better  spreading  and  penetration. 

For  the  European  fruit  scale  and  similar  insects,  to  be  applied  only  in  the 
dormant  season.  With  kerosene  substituted  for  the  distillate  it  is  possible  to 
use  as  a  summer  spray  for  scale  insects  on  citrus  trees,  though  it  is  rather 
severe  and  should  not  be  used  except  when  the  tree  is  well  supplied  with  water 
and  then  least  susceptible  to  oil  injury. 


Miscible  Oils 

These  are  also  sold  under  various  trade  names.  They  have  the  appearance 
of  oils,  but  become  milky  emulsions  upon  the  addition  of  water.  They  are  the 
best  form  of  distillate  spray  when  not  prepared  to  apply  the  mechanical  mixture 
just  described.  They  have  no  advantage  over  the  mechanical  mixture  and  are 
more  expensive. 

It  is  generally  safe  to  follow  the  directions  on  the  container.  The  emulsifier 
used  is  from  20  to  40  per  cent  of  the  total  volume,  therefore  use  one-quarter  to 
three-quarters  more  material  than  when  the  straight  oil  is  used. 

A  miscible  oil  can  bo  made  by  mixing  cresol  soap  with  kerosene,  distillate, 
or  crude  oil.  No  rule  can  be  given,  but  the  amount  that  can  be  combined  with 
the  soap  will  have  to  be  determined  by  trial. 


Emulsions 
These  are  quite  easily  made  and  somewhat  safer  on  foliage  than  miscible 
oils,  for  the  reason  that  ordinary  soap  has  less  penetrating  power  than  cresol 
soap.     They  are  the  best  forms  of  oil  spray  that  can  be  made  at  home,  without 
the  use  of  a  power  spray. 

For  gardens     For  house  plants 
Soap  J  lb.         1-inch  cube 

Hot  water  1  gal.       1  pint 

Kerosene  1  gal.       1  pint 

Pump  through  a  spray  pump  or,  with  small  amounts,  use  an  egg  beater. 
Dilute  1-8  for  winter  use  for  scale  insects,  1-20  for  use  on  foliage  against  plant 
lice. 

V.  SOAPS 

The  forms   sold  for  insecticide  purposes  are   fish   oil   soap,  whale   oil   soap, 

laundry  soap,  dog  soap,  cresol   soap,  liquid   soap,  and  soap  powder.     The  last 

three  are  most  convenient  for  making  sprays.     Cresol  soap  is  too  injurious  to 

foliage  to  be  used  except  as  an  emulsifier. 

Nursery 
Summer  use  Winter  use  stock  dip 

Soap  1  lb.  1  lb.  2  lbs. 

Water  5-15  gals.  1-2  gals.  1  gal. 

Use  twice  as  much  of  liquid  soap  because  of  the  water  it  contains. 
For  plant  lice,  home-made  soaps  can  be  produced  as  follows: 

Without  rosin  With  rosin 

Water  6  gals.  25  gals. 

Caustic  soda  2  lbs.  8  lbs. 

Fish  oil  1|  gals.  3  pints 

Eosin  20  lbs. 

Bring  the  water  to  boil,  dissolve  the  lye  and  stir  in  the  oil  and  rosin,  boiling 
for  about  an  hour. 

VI.  MINOR  INSECTICIDES 
Tobacco 
The  powdered  tobacco  stems  may  be  dusted  generously  over  the  plants  for 
aphids. 

A  decoction  made  by  steeping  one  pound  of  tobacco  stems  in  one  gallon  of 
water  and  diluting  to  four  gallons  makes  a  spray  for  the  same  purpose. 

The  commercial  article  most  used  is  a  40  per  cent  nicotine  sulphate.  A  pint 
makes  200  gallons  of  spray.  It  penetrates  better  if  a  gallon  of  cresol  soap  or 
10  pounds  of  other  soap  is  added. 

PVRETHRUM 

The  powdered  flowers  are  used  as  a  dust  for  fleas. 

Sulfur 

Sublimed  or  finely  ground  sulfur  dusted  thoroughly  over  foliage,  preferably 
when  moist  with  dew,  for  red  spiders. 

Equal  parts  of  hydrated  lime  improves  the  adhesiveness. 

Spray  with  30  pounds  to  200  gallons,  with  15  pounds  of  lime  if  desired,  or 
better,  with  8  pounds  of  flour  made  up  into  cooked  paste  to  spread  and  hold 
sulfur  on  foliage. 


Lime 
For  pear  thrips  on  pear,  a  whitewash  made  of  80  pounds  to  100  gallons. 

Carbon  Bisulfid 

For  grain  weevils  or  other  insects  affecting  stored  products. 

Place  liquid  in  saucers  or  other  shallow  vessels  above  the  material  to  be 
treated,  using  1  pint  to  each  100  cubic  feet.  Time  required,  one  to  several  hours. 
If  the  material  to  be  treated  is  in  a  gas-tight  space,  the  liquid  may  not  be  all 
evaporated  and  that  which  remains  may  be  saved  for  later  use.  The  liquid  is 
inflammable  and  the  gas  explosive,  therefore  avoid  lights. 

For  ants,  pour  an  ounce  down  the  hole  and  close  with  moist  earth. 

For  ground  squirrels,  use  the  same  method.     (See  Circular  82.) 

Formalin 
For  house  flies,  place  a  small  teaspoonful  of  the  ordinary  40  per  cent  formal- 
dehyd  in  a  saucer  of  water  or  make  it  up  by  the  bottleful,  one  part  to  twenty 
of  water. 

Compatibility  Table — Insecticides  and  Fungicides* 


Fungicides 


o  as 


as    i_, 

s< 

C  -— 


X 


Paris  Green A-l 

Calcium  Arsenite A 

Lead  Arsenate A-l 

(Acid) 
Lead  Arsenate  A 

(Neutral) 
Zinc  Arsenite ? 


Lime -Sulphur 
o>    Emulsions 

©  .s 

-|  -J    Soaps 
o  I 

a    ±obacco 


C  C 

D  D 

A  C 

B  A 


Acids  D        C         I) 

Alkalies  _ BCD 


*  Arranged  by  Geo.  P.  Gray.     For  a  discussion  of  the  table  see  Mo.  Bull, 
State  Com.  Hort.,  Vol.  Ill,  No.  7,  p.  265;  or  Better  Fruit,  Vol.  IX,  No.  2,  p.  9. 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  MIXTURES 

Class  Al. — Compatible  mixtures  in  which  the  chief  constituents  remain  prac- 
tically unchanged  but  are  less  liable  to  decomposition  after  application  or  in 
which  an  undesirable  constituent  has  been  neutralized  or  rendered  less  soluble. 
Mixtures  in  which  the  spreading  or  adhesive  qualities  are  improved  are  also 
included  in  this  class. 

Class  A. — Compatible  mixtures  in  which  no  important-  chemical  or  physical 
changes  occur. 

Class  B. — Efficient,  non-injurious.  Mixtures  in  which  important  chemical 
changes  occur  but  the  original  killing  or  preventive  properties  and  physical 
properties  are  not  impaired  and  no  injurious  new  compound  is  formed. 

Class  C. — Inefficient,  non-injurious.  Mixtures  in  which  important  chemical 
or  physical  changes  occur  and  render  a  part  or  all  of  the  original  ingredients 
inert,  or  less  active,  or  physically  unsuitable  for  use,  but  not  necessarily  injur- 
ious to  the  host  of  the  parasite. 

Class  D. — Dangerous  mixtures.  Mixtures  in  which  important  chemical  changes 
occur  and  render  all  or  a  part  of  the  original  constituents  injurious  to  the  host 
of  the  parasite.  It  so  happens  t  hat  D  stands  for  dangerous  and  the  table  has 
been  so  arranged  that  dangerous  mixtures  are  thus  easily  recognized  by  associ- 
ating the  letter  which  designates  the  class  with  the  word. 


STATION    PUBLICATIONS    AVAILABLE    FOR    DISTRIBUTION 


REPORTS 

1897.      Resistant  Vines,  their  Selection,  Adaptation,   and  Grafting.      Appendix  to  Viticultural 
Report  for  1896. 

1902.  Report  of  the  Agricultural  Experiment   Station  for   1898-1901. 

1903.  Report  of  the  Agricultural   Experiment   Station  for   1901-03. 

1904.  Twenty-second  Report  of  the  Agricultural  Experiment  Station  for  1903-04. 

1914.      Report  of  the  College  of  Agriculture   and  the  Agricultural   Experiment   Station,    July, 
1913-June,    1914. 

BULLETINS 


No. 
168. 

169. 
170. 
174. 
177. 

178. 
182. 

183. 
184. 

185. 

195. 

197. 


198. 
203. 

207. 
208. 
211. 


No. 
65. 
68. 
69. 
70. 

76. 
79. 

80. 
82. 

83. 
84. 

87. 
88. 


91. 

92. 


100. 
101. 


102. 
106. 


107. 
J08. 


No. 
212. 
213. 
216. 


225. 
227. 
230. 
234. 
240. 
241. 
242. 
243. 

244. 
246. 
248. 

249. 
250. 
251. 


Observations    on    Some   Vine    Diseases 

in    Sonoma   County. 
Tolerance  of  the  Sugar  Beet  for  Alkali. 
Studies  in  Grasshopper  Control. 
A  New  Wine-Cooling  Machine. 
A    New    Method    of    Making   Dry    Red 

Wine. 
Mosquito  Control. 
Analysis    of    Paris    Green    and    Lead 

Arsenate.     Proposed  Insecticide  Law. 
The  California  Tussock-Moth. 
Report    of    the    Plant    Pathologist    to 

July  1,   1906. 
Report  of   Progress  in   Cereal   Investi- 
gations. 
The  California  Grape  Root-worm. 
Grape  Culture  in  California  ;  Improved 

Methods     of     Wine-making;      Yeast 

from  California  Grapes. 
The  Grape  Leaf-Hopper. 
Report    of    the    Plant    Pathologist    to 

July  1,    1909. 
The  Control  of  the  Argentine  Ant. 
The  Late  Blight  of  Celery. 
How  to   Increase  the  Yield   of   Wheat 

in  California. 


CIRCULARS 
No. 

The  California   Insecticide  Law.  109. 
The  Prevention  of  Hog  Cholera. 
The  Extermination  of  Morning-Glory. 

Observations   on   the    Status   of   Corn  110. 

Growing  in  California.  111. 
Hot  Room  Callusing. 

List  of  Insecticide  Dealers  113. 

Boys'    and   Girls'   Clubs.  114. 

The    Common    Ground    Squirrels    of  115. 

California.  116. 

Potato  Growing  Clubs.  117. 
Mushrooms   and  Toadstools. 

Alfalfa.  118. 

Advantages  to  the  Breeder  in  Testing  119. 

his  Pure-bred  Cows  for  the  Register  120. 

of  Merit. 

Disinfection  on  the  Farm.  121. 
Infectious    Abortion    and     Sterility    in 

Cows.  122. 
Pruning  Frosted  Citrus  Trees. 

Codling    Moth    Control    in    the    Sacra-  123. 

mento  Valley. 

The  Woolly  Aphis.  124. 

Directions  for  using  Anti-Hog-Cholcra  125. 

Serum.  126. 

Spraying  Walnut  Trees  for  Blight  and  127. 

Aphis   Control.  128. 
Grape  .Tuice. 


California  White  Wheats. 

The  Principles  of  Wine-making. 

A  Progress  Report  upon  Soil  and 
Climatic  Factors  Influencing  the 
Composition  of  Wheat. 

Tolerance  of  Eucalyptus  for  Alkali. 

Grape  Vinegar. 

Enological  Investigations. 

Red  Spiders  and  Mites  of  Citrus  Trees. 

Commercial  Fertilizers. 

Vine  Pruning  in  California.     Part  I. 

Humus  in   California   Soils. 

The  Intradermal  Test  for  Tuberculosis 
in  Cattle  and  Hogs. 

Utilization  of  Waste  Oranges. 

Vine  Pruning  in  California.     Part  II. 

The  Economic  Value  of  Pacific  Coast 
Kelps. 

Stock  Poisoning  Plants  of  California. 

The  Loquat. 

Utilization  of  the  Nitrogen  and  Or- 
ganic Matter  in  Septic  and  Imhoff 
Tank   Sludges. 

Deterioration   of   Lumber. 


Community  or  Local  Extension  Work 
by  the  High  School  Agricultural  De- 
partment. 

Green  Manuring  in  California. 

The  Use  of  Lime  and  Gypsum  on  Cali 
fornia  Soils. 

Correspondence  Courses  in  Agriculture. 

Increasing  the  Duty  of  Water. 

Grafting  Vinifera  Vineyards. 

Silk  Worm  Experiments. 

The  Selection  and  Cost  of  a  Small 
Pumping   Plant. 

The  County  Farm  Bureau. 

Winery  Directions. 

Potato  Growing  in  the  San  Joaquin 
and  Sacramento  Deltas  of  California. 

Some  Things  the  Prospective  Settler 
Should  Know. 

The  Management  of  Strawberry  Soils 
in  Pajaro  Valley. 

Fundamental  Principles  of  Co-opera 
tion  in  Agriculture. 

Alfalfa  Silage  for  Fattening  Steers. 

Aphids  on  Grain  and  Cantaloupes. 

Spraying  for  the  Grape  Leaf   Hopper. 

House   Fumigation. 

Insecticide  Formulas. 


